Jack Abramoff: Heroic Whistleblower

That’s what the uber-lobbyist’s lawyers argue: his 5-year, 10-month prison sentence should be reduced because of cooperation in FBI probes. According to the Washington Post, the Justice Dept. seems to agree.

The Post reports that the Justice Dept. wants to reduce the sentence–which is for fraud in purchasing a Florida casino cruise line– to 3-years, 9-months. The Justice Dept. also recommended to a federal judge that Abramoff get a 5-year sentence– instead of the maximum 11-years– for a related investigation involving bribing Congress members with gifts. Sentencing for that case is next week.

Abramoff long ago became a symbol of the corrupting influence of lobbyists in Washington. A June House oversight committee report indicated that he essentially ran an Interior Dept. agency that controlled the Marianas Island.

Even in prison, though, Abramoff has leveraged his widespread influence. He helped the FBI nab former Rep. Bob Ney (R-Oh.). And he’s assisting ongoing probes into former Reps John Doolittle (R-Calif.) and former House Majority Leader Tom Delay (R-Tx.).

A lawyer for Abramoff said that his client’s guilty plea and subsequent exposure of other’s corruption is a “watershed event.” Maybe, when released, Abramoff can give paid speeches about the perils of lobbying.